This recipe for pickled carrots and daikon (do chua) is a quick version of the classic Vietnamese side dish. Crunchy homemade pickled veggies are a great addition to your favorite sandwiches, salads and rice bowls!
This recipe for pickled carrots and daikon or do chua is a quick and easy version of the classic Vietnamese side dish. Crunchy and just a bit more sweet then sour, pickled carrots and daikon are a great topping for salads or as a side for savory dishes. To make this recipe, you just need a few carrots, one medium-sized daikon radish, rice vinegar, salt and sugar. I made a quick batch this week and we’ve been pulling it out for almost every dinner we’ve made recently!
Delicious banh mi sandwiches (below left) would be incomplete without these sweet, tangy carrots and daikon and they add great texture and flavor to my favorite beef noodle bowl – bun bo nam bo (below right).
If you’ve never tried daikon, it’s a type of radish popular throughout Southeast Asia. It has a milder taste than the red radishes you normally see in supermarkets and it’s high in Vitamin C and potassium, making it perfect to eat raw or as part of a stir fry or stew! I bought my daikon for less than a dollar at a local Korean market, but I’ve also been able to find them at larger chain grocery stores for a bit higher price.
As for preparation, there are several ways to go about cutting up your carrots and daikon. The easiest way would be to simply shred them lengthwise with a vegetable peeler or julienne slicer. If you don’t have one of those on hand, it’s also easy enough to use a knife to cut the veggies in long, thin strips.
ingredients
- carrots 2 medium
- daikon 1 medium
- sugar 4 tbsp
- salt 1 tbsp
- rice vinegar 120 ml (½ c)
- lukewarm water 240 ml (1 c)
instructions
- Wash and peel the carrots and daikon.
- Either use a knife to cut the vegetables in long, thin strips or use a vegetable peeler or julienne slicer to shred.
- Place the carrots and daikon in a bowl and add sugar and salt. Massage the vegetables with your hands until the sugar and salt dissolve. Place the vegetables in a jar.
- Pour the rice vinegar and water over the carrots and daikon and mix.
- Cover the jar and refrigerate for at least three hours or, for best results, overnight.
- Store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.
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